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The advancements of modern computers are often referred to as the generation of computers in computer history. We are currently using computers from the fifth generation. So, let’s take a look at the key features of these five computer generations in this blog.

<h2 id="content-id-1978-0">First generation of computers</h2>

The first generation of computers (the first electronic computer ENIAC) was developed by Eckert and Mauchly in 1946 in the USA. The vacuum tube was the core element in the first-generation computer. The time period of the first generation of computers was from 1946 - 1959. The first generation of computers produced a lot of heat due to their extensive use of vacuum tubes. They were costly to operate and used a lot of electricity. The equipment was always in need of repair and was prone to frequent breakdowns. First-generation computers were challenging to the programme since they only supported machine language. It had limited internal storage capacity and slow input/output operations. Punched-card and paper tape were the secondary storage in this computer. It was not portable and machine code was used as a programming language.

Examples of first-generation computers:

<ul>
	<li>UNIVersal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC-I)</li>
	<li>Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator (ENIAC)</li>
	<li>Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC)</li>
</ul>

Hardware Design: Vacuum tubes and magnetic drums were employed in the earliest generation of computers’ circuitry and memory, respectively. Paper tapes and punched cards were used as the computer’s input devices. Printouts of the output were displayed.

Software Engineering: It was written in machine language, the instructions. The instructions are coded using 0s and 1s in machine language. The earliest computers may resolve one problem at a time. Characteristics of computing: The computation took milliseconds to complete.

Physical Characteristics: These massive computers needed a sizable space to be installed because of their size. They consumed a full room.

Application: Since they were the quickest computers available then, they were used for scientific purposes.

Advantages and Disadvantages: 

The first electronic digital computers were created, and they had the following advantages:

<ul>
	<li>Vacuum tubes were employed as electronic components.</li>
	<li>The quickest calculators available at the time were these ones.</li>
	<li>A millisecond was used for computation.</li>
</ul>

The drawbacks of the first generation of computers were that they were too big and unstable. Due to the vacuum tubes, this computer-generated a lot of heat. It was not transportable and small-scale commercial use.

<h2 id="content-id-1978-1">Second generation of computers</h2>

The second generation computers are IBM-700, ATLAS and ICL 1901. Transistor was the core element in the second generation of computers. The time period of the second generation of computers was from 1959-1965. Magnetic core was used for primary storage and tapes and the magnetic disk was used for secondary storage in this generation. High-level procedural languages FORTRAN and COBOL were used in it and required less power to operate. It was smaller, more reliable and faster than the first generation of computers. Compared to first-generation computers, second generation computers produced a lot of heat but significantly less. Compared to earlier computers, they required less upkeep.

Examples of second-generation computers are: PDP-8, IBM 1401 and CDC 1604

Hardware Design: In the first generation of computers, transistors took the place of vacuum tubes. Computers are now more nimble, quick, affordable, energy-efficient, and dependable thanks to transistor technology. The magnetic core technology was employed in the second generation of computers’ primary memory. For secondary storage, they made use of magnetic discs and cassettes. Punch cards were still used for input and printouts were used for output. They made use of the idea of a stored programme, in which instructions were kept in the computer’s memory.

Software Engineering: The assembly language was used to write the instructions. Assembly language codes the instructions using mnemonics like ADD for addition and SUB for subtraction. As opposed to writing instructions in machine language, assembly language is simpler. During this time, high-level programming languages like the original COBOL and FORTRAN were also created.

Characteristics of computing: In microseconds, the computing time was measured 

Physical Characteristics: Because transistors are smaller than vacuum tubes, the size of the computer was also decreased.

Application: Although it was less expensive than the first generation of computers, the cost of these computers’ commercial production was very considerable. The second generation of computers required human assembly of the transistors.

Advantages and Disadvantages: The second generation of computers has the following benefits:

<ul>
	<li>They are smaller and much more dependable than the first generation, and they produce less heat.</li>
	<li>The speed of the computation was microseconds.</li>
	<li>Less maintenance and hardware issues.</li>
	<li>Could be applied to industry Second-generation computer disadvantages include:</li>
	<li>Expensive for business use.</li>
	<li>It still required regular upkeep.</li>
	<li>Regular cooling was also necessary.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="content-id-1978-2">Third generation of computers </h2>

The third generation computers are IBM/360, NCR 395, and TDC - 316 developed by Jack Kilby. Integrated circuits (ICs) were the core element in the third generation of computers. The time period of the third generation of computers was from 1965-1971. A magnetic disk was used for secondary storage. It was smaller than the second generation and the development of mini-computers happened at this time. In this generation, an operating system was developed. High level programming languages used in this generation like FORTRAN-II to IV, COBOL, PASCAL PL-1, ALGOL-68 etc. Compared to the second generation of computers, the third generation produced less heat and consumed less power. Since the computer’s individual components did not need to be physically put together, the cost of the device decreased significantly. In comparison to its predecessors, the computers required less upkeep.

Examples of third-generation computers are: PDP-11, IBM 370

Hardware Design: Integrated Circuit (IC) chips utilized in computers of the third generation. On a silicon chip, there are many transistors arranged in an IC chip. One kind of semiconductor is silicon. The usage of IC chips greatly boosted the speed and effectiveness of computers. The third generation computer’s keyboard and monitor were used to communicate with it instead of punched cards and printouts.

Software Engineering: The operating system served as the interface between the keyboard and the monitor. The operating system enabled the concurrent operation of many applications. Machine language and assembly code were mostly replaced by high-level programming languages.

Characteristics of computing: In nanoseconds, the computation time was measured.

Physical Characteristics: These computers were much smaller than those from the previous generation.

Application: Many people now have access to computers. Commercially made computers were more compact and affordable than their predecessors.

Advantages and Disadvantages: The third electronic digital computer had the following advantages:

<ul>
	<li>Compared to the second generation, the third generation of computers is smaller, more dependable, and portable.</li>
	<li>Less usage of electricity.</li>
	<li>Heat production was infrequent.</li>
	<li>Computer used for all purposes.</li>
</ul>

Third-generation computer disadvantages include the need for air cooling in many situations. The creation of the ICs required very sophisticated technology.

Fourth generation of computers

DEC 10, and STAR 1000 are the fourth generation computers. Large-scale integrated circuits (LSICs) and very large-scale integrated circuits (VLSICs) were the core elements of computers. The time period of the fourth generation computer was from 1971-1985. Semiconductors were used for primary storage. The development of microcomputers or PCs happened during this generation of computers. In this generation microprocessors and high-level languages are used. High-level languages like C, C++, and DBMS are used in this generation. The fourth generation of computers is more compact and affordable than their forerunners thanks to the microprocessor. The computers of the fourth generation are more dependable and portable. Compared to their predecessors, they produce substantially less heat and require less maintenance. Computer use and learning are made simple by GUI and pointing devices. Resource sharing and communication between various computers are now possible thanks to networking.

Example of fourth-generation computers: The Intel 4004 chip was the first microprocessor. The components of the computer like the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memory were located on a single chip. IBM introduced the first computer for home use in 1981. In 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh.

Hardware Design: They employ the technologies of very large-scale integration (VLSI) and large-scale integration (LSI). LSI technology is used to consolidate thousands of transistors onto a tiny silicon chip. A small chip can contain tens of thousands of components thanks to VLSI. The invention of the microprocessor characterises this period. An LSI and VLSI designed microprocessor is a chip with millions of transistors and other components. Personal Computers were created by this computer generation (PC). Fast random access to memory was made possible by the switch from magnetic core memory to semiconductor memory. Magnetic discs, a type of secondary storage, shrank in size while increasing in capacity. Another significant advancement of this age is the networking of computers. The Internet was created as a result of the networks created when computers were connected. Additionally, this generation witnessed the emergence of mobile gadgets and pointing devices like the mouse.

Software Engineering: During this time, new operating systems like MS-DOS and MSWindows were developed. The computers of this generation supported graphical user interfaces (GUI). A user friendly interface, or GUI, enables users to communicate with computers through menus and icons. For writing programmes, high-level programming languages are employed.

Characteristics of computing: In picoseconds, the calculation time is measured.

Physical Characteristics: Compared to the previous generation’s computers, they are smaller. Even the palm of the hand can fit some of them.

Application: They became extensively accessible for business uses. The home user could now buy a personal computer.

Advantages and Disadvantages: Fourth-generation computers have the following benefits:

<ul>
	<li>Smaller and more dependable.</li>
	<li>Frequently, no cooling system is needed.</li>
	<li>Much quicker processing.</li>
	<li>Portable and affordable.</li>
	<li>The heat created was minimal.</li>
	<li>Completely general-purpose computer.</li>
	<li>Cheapest of all generations.</li>
	<li>This sort of computer can run any high-level language.</li>
	<li>Completely general-purpose computer.</li>
</ul>

Fourth-generation computer disadvantages are: The fabrication of the ICs needed very sophisticated technologies. Microprocessor manufacture requires the most recent technology.

<h2 id="content-id-1978-3">Future generation computers</h2>

The fifth or future generation computers are desktops, laptops and palmtops etc. Ultra large scale integration (ULSI) or Super Large Scale Integrated (SLSI) is the core element of this generation of computers. The time period of the fifth generation computer is 1985 till now. RAM and ROM are used for primary storage and HDD and SSD are used for secondary storage. It uses all high-level programming languages like C, C++, Java, Python, dot net (.net) etc. The development of learning and self-organising computers is the aim of fifth-generation computing. Super Large Scale Integrated (SLSI) chips, which can contain millions of components on a single chip, are used in the fifth generation of computers. These computers require a lot of memory. Instead of serial execution, the computers of today’s generation use parallel processing, which enables the simultaneous execution of many instructions. Processing speed is increased through parallel processing. The parallel processing feature of the Intel dual-core processor. AI is the foundation for computers of the fifth generation (AI). They make an effort to mimic how people reason and think. Expert systems (ES), natural language processing (NLP), speech and voice recognition, robotics, and other fields fall under the umbrella of artificial intelligence.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

The fifth generation of computers has the following benefits: 

<ul>
	<li>Very high storage capacity</li>
	<li>Long-bit processor architectures</li>
	<li>Development of Artificial Intelligence Language</li>
	<li>Advances in Parallel Processing</li>
	<li>Advances in Superconductor Technology. Compared to computers of previous generations, these ones are far more compact.</li>
</ul>

Fifth generation machine drawbacks may offer businesses more authority to monitor your activities and even give them access to infect your computer. They are frequently sophisticated and intricate tools. Hope you learned well. Stay with us for more.

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